How to trigger a Whoosh Effect for weight loss

I try to eat in a calorie deficit, and I strength train three days per week (check out the program I’m on and my results), along with walking and light cardio, but I’m also a human being who likes fun, food, and alcohol.

So I do have the occasional slip up or cheat day.

Some nights I’ll have a big meal and go to bed thinking, “Ah crap, I just undid all of my hard work this week.”

Weirdly enough, sometimes I wake up the morning after a big cheat meal feeling leaner than ever.

And I’m not alone. The research suggests that one way to trigger a Whoosh Effect of weight loss is to eat a cheat meal.

The researchers behind the Minnesota Starvation Experiment noted this in their own work.

About halfway through the experiment, the men were given a 2,300-or-so calorie meal as something of a “re-feed,” and in many of them, this “cheat meal” triggered significant weight loss the next day.

And after a lot of peeing, no less! (That water has to come out somehow)

So… if you’ve been exercising and dieting but find yourself frustrated by areas of super squishy fat and a scale that won’t budge, try indulging yourself in a (reasonable!) cheat meal.

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Whoosh Effect FAQ

What is the whoosh effect?

As your body burns fat, your fat cells temporary fill with water before they shrink down.

That’s why you can sometimes feel jiggly, squishy, etc during a diet before a sudden whoosh when a lot of water weight disappears at once.

How do we know it’s real?

There was a famous and now controversial study that observed the effects of an extremely low calorie diet on volunteers.

Weight loss would often plateau for stretches of time before coming off in huge chunks, it was observed, even though calorie consumption was extremely strict.

How can you trigger a whoosh effect?

There is some evidence that a large cheat meal (especially extra carbs) could trigger your body to lose the extra water weight being stored during fat loss.

How do you know a whoosh is coming?

There are lots of signs. But if you know for a fact that your diet and training have been on point and you haven’t lost weight, feel squishy, or maybe have gained weight, there’s a good chance a whoosh is coming.

You may also have to pee a lot when you start to lose the water weight.

People report all different kinds of symptoms. Some folks say that diarrhea can be a sign of a coming whoosh, which makes sense… it is still water leaving the body!

Others will note that they get intense hunger pangs and cravings right before losing a significant amount of weight in a short amount of time (more severe cravings than normal diet hunger).

Finally, you may notice night sweats right before a whoosh, as that’s yet another way your body can rid itself of water weight.

(And some theorize this is a sign of your metabolism speeding up in order to better burn fat… night sweats are a common side effect of weightlifting.)

The evidence is pretty clear, both scientifically and anecdotally, that the whoosh effect is real, but its exact mechanics and warning signs are still under debate.

Do fat cells ever go away?

No. They only shrink when you burn through the fat that occupies them, but they never disappear.

That’s part of why it’s so much easier to maintain a lean state than it is to achieve one once you’re overweight.

Fat cells can also die off, but typically they’re replaced at the same rate by new fat cells.

So, for the most part, the number of fat cells in your body can really only go up. Though you can shrink those cells down substantially through weight loss.

What about alcohol?

It’s possible that alcohol can help trigger a whoosh and rid your body of water weight, since it’s known to dehydrate you. Read more about alcohol and weight loss here.

Is the whoosh effect specific to keto?

No. Anyone on a weight loss diet can experience the whoosh effect. You’ll also see the whoosh effect on intermittent fasting, OMAD, and low carb diets.

How can I tell the difference between fat and water weight?

It’s really hard to say for sure. But water weight may be warmer to the touch and may be a lot jigglier than fat.

Try pinching the area and releasing it… if it bounces around like a waterbed when you let it go, it might just be extra water. Fat is also squishy but a tad harder to the touch.

The study you refer to is now seen to be highly unethical and detrimental to those involved. The men involved in the study suffered life long health issues. Surely you can reference a more positive and recent study than a study designed to mimic starvation conditions in a concentration camp.

Did they volunteer for the study?People volunteer to climb mount everest. Studying them isnt unethical.Plus in those days restrictions werent the same. Nowadays this type of study wouldn’t fly. Doesnt make the study any less valuable.

Now that this science of it is explained to me, it makes so much sense! I cannot tell you the number of times while on a low calorie/exercise plan, I would go a week without losing a thing (possibly even gaining slightly), and then go to a family gathering or to a restaurant where I end up eating way more calories than usual. I go home upset thinking I screwed up my diet, and then wake up the next day having lost 3-4lbs overnight! I could never understand why, and it has happened so many times that I even mentioned how odd I thought it was to my husband. Now it all makes sense!

I am on a diet and have loss a lot at first couple of weeks and now my weight stalls and i have trouble going to toilet everyday for a number 2 how do I archive a whoosh effect I always seem to gain weight if I have a cheat and it doesn’t go down over night at all it takes me along time to loose it my weight was 83kg yesterday but today I went up to 83.4kg I need to loose weight and be 65kg how can I get that whoosh I am on a no carb no sugar only 100g protein meal with diet drops that I got to have 3 times a day when I started the diet in April this year I was 108.5kg and now 14 weeks and 1 day I am 83.4kgI always loose weight than gain weight I want to loose weight and not have it come back how do I do that and get a whoosh ? Please help me

Yay for whoosh, I have been following the Keto Diet for about 5 weeks. Yes, I stalled, yes, it’s the holidays. I made sure that I was particularly good during Thanksgiving. I upped my carbs yesterday. I woke up this morning, feeling and looking leaner. Don’t come for me naysayers. Keep your negative comments to yourself or give them to someone who cares!!

About Me

Hi there! My name is Evan. I’m a dad and 30-something-year-old fitness enthusiast. I started this site to share all of the best information and products I could find on my way to better health and a stronger body. I hope it helps you, too!

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